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(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 1.

R. M. HUNTER. PERFEOTING PRINTING MACHINE.

No. 449,446. Patented Mar. 81, 1891.

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(NoModeL) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

R. M. HUNTER. PERPEGTING PRINTING MAGHINE.

No. 449,446.' Patented Mar. 31, 1891.

XVI venfoy' UNITED STATES PATENT tribe.

RUDOLPH M. HUNTER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THEFEISTER PRINTING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

PERFECTING PRlNTlNG-MACi-HNE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 449,4d6, dated March31, 1891.

Application filed December 29, 1887. Serial No. 259,349. (No model.)

To' all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RUDOLPH M. HUNTER, of the city and county ofPhiladelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement inPerfecting Printing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference to perfecting printing-presses; and itconsists of certain improvements, all of which are fully set forth inthe following specification and shown in the accompanying drawings,which form part thereof.

The object of my invention is to enable the continuous printing of a webof paper in such a manner that the faces may both be printed on in theform of pages and in perfect register, so that if such pages areassembled and bound into book form the margins shall be uniform. Theprinted web would be automatically cut into sheets after both sides havebeen printed upon and then automatically stacked to be used as circularsor to be bound in any well-known manner.

In carrying out my invention I cause a web of paper to pass firstbetween one pair of type and impression cylinders, and,having one sideprinted on in a continuous manner thereby, I cause the web to passbetween a second pair of type and impression cylinders, but in thereverse order-that is to say, in the first pair the type-cylinder wasabove and in the second pair it was below, or vice versa. Thesecylinders are geared together to run at given speeds. The paper web isdrawn from a roll by feeding-cylinders, and after passing between thefirst pair of printing and impression cylinders it passes around aspeed-regulating roller and over guide-rollers, and then between thesecond pair of printing and impression cylinders. Next the paper passesbetween feed-rollers, then cutting-rollers, and the sheets so formed aredelivered in any suitable manner. As shown, they are delivered andstacked by air-blast and guides. The last-mentioned pair of feed-rollersare driven by suitable means, whereby they may have their speed variedto suit any variation in the length of the paper due to the dampeningeffect of the printing and the tension under which it is put. The objectin View is that if the web enters the first pair of printing andimpression cylinders in length to print one thousand pages, and afterhaving left the second set of printing and impression cylinders it wouldhave elongated sufficiently to have made one thousand and one pages, weshould have the bulk of the printing out of register. If, however, thepaper were made to feed faster or slower in the second printing, ascircumstances required, then the register maybe made absolutely perfect.To accomplish this I make the variation in the length of the paperitself regulate the speed of the feed-rollers. WVhen the paper is fed tothe first impression and printing cylinders it may be dry or steamed toa certain extent to makeit receive the impression of the type-form, andthe amount of expansion of the paper in passing through the press willdepend upon the tension under which it is put and the degree to which itis dampened, either as a preliminary step or by act of printing. It isevident that as this expansion varies the speed of the feedrollers mustincrease or decrease, as required. The cutting-rollers are run at afixed speed, which is preferably the maximum corresponding to thegreatest expansion of the paper, and the feed-rollers run at a variablespeed, having a maximum equal to that of the cuttingrolls. In practicethe cutting-rolls would not press upon the face of the paper, so thatthe difference in speeds between the cutting and feed rolls will notcause blurring of the printed sheet. These details, however, are ofsecondary importance to my invention.

In the drawings, Figure l is a sectional elevation of a perfectingprinting-press embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a cross-section ofsame on line w cc, and Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the left-handportion of Fig. 1.

A and B are respectively the type and impression cylinders of the firstpair, and O and D the corresponding cylinders of the second pair. Itwill be observed that in one pair the type-cylinder is above and in theother it is below, so as to print upon each side of the paper. Thetype-cylinder may be made in any manner desired, but preferably withremovable type-forms, as is customary. The type-forms may be in anynumber desired, the largest book capable of being printed be ing equalto twice as many pages as there type-cylinder, so that each form has itsown make ready; but this is not necessary to the invention.

F is the roll of paper, and E is the paperweb. The paper web passesthrough the feedrollers G, gearing with the cylinders A or B, and afterpassing between said cylinders it is guided over roller H, under roller1, over guide-roller J, and then between the second pair of type andimpression cylinders G and D. The cylinders A and B are geared together,as are also cylinders O and D, and these pairs are also geared togetherby spurwheel U and are driven by band-wheel n.

K K are feed-rollers for the paper after it leaves the second pair ofcylinders O D, which are geared together. t

The cutting-rollers L may be run at a speed sufficient to properlydivide the printed sheets with a maximum expansion, and they may receivemotion from the main gear of the type-form cylinder 0 by gears Z. Bythis means it is only necessary for,the rollers K to retard the passageof the paper between the cutting-rolls more or less below the maximumspeed of travel.

Secured to one of the rollers K is a conical band-pulley P. Supported insuitable bearings is another conical band-pulley Q, arranged parallel topulley I but having its small end adjacent to the large end of the saidpulley I, and this pulley Q is driven from the printing and impressioncylinders in any well-known manner. As shown, the pulley Q hasaspur-wheel q, which meshes with the cylinder 0 and is therefore drivenwith a speed commensurate with the speed of the printing-cylinders.

Ris a band passing around the pulleys P Q, and by being shifted maycause the rollers K to revolve faster or slower. The belt R is shiftedby a shifting-rod 7, which is acted on by levers T t, connecting withthe frame 1', carrying the roller I.

S is a spring which causes the roller I to pull down upon the paper web.In place of this spring a weight might be used. From this it will beseen that if the paper becomes too long the belt is shifted and theexcess of paper taken up, or vice versa. These movements are so gradualthat any variation will not be perceptible. If desired, the roller H maybe substituted by a pair of feed-cylinders similar to G, as indicated indotted lines.

The-paper in being printed is onlyheld between the typeandimpression-surface at intcrvals, and between the impressions anytake-up necessary is accomplished. The parts are moving so quickly andthe lengthening of the paper is so small that the move- Theimpression-cyl-l inders are shown of the same diameter as the ment withany one impression is practically imperceptible, but when multipliedinto thousands of pages the register would be thrown out appreciably.Furthermore, the invention, broadly considered, is complete without thecutting-rolls.

After the paper web is cut up into sheets it is blown back into astacking-frame by blast-nozzle N, being guided in its passage by guardsM. It is evident that any of the numerous automatic binding devices maybe combined with this machine, just as it is combined in Patent No.256,662, of 1882, to Feister.

I do notlimit mylinvention to the specific compensating means hereshown; neither do confine myself to the particular arrangement of partsset out, as the details may be modified in various ways withoutdeparting from my invention.

Having now described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a perfecting printing-press to print upon a web of paper, thecombination of two pairs of type and impression cylinders, one pairbeing adapted to print upon one face and the other pair being adapted toprint upon the opposite face of the web of paper, feedrollers to feedthe paper to the first pair of printing and impression cylinders,variablespeed feed-rollers to feed the paper through the second pair oftype and impression cylinders, and suitable means to vary the speed ofthe last-mentioned feed-rollers, substantially as and for the purposespecified. v

2. In a perfecting printing-press to print upon a web of paper, thecombination of two pairs of type and impression cylinders, one pairbeing adapted to print upon one face and the other pair being adapted toprint upon the opposite face of the web of paper, feed-rollers to feedthe paper to the first pair of printing and impression cylinders,variable-speed feedrollers to feed the paper through the second pair oftype and impression cylinders, cutting-cylinders geared to run at auniform surface speed with the impression-cylinders, and suitable meansto vary the speed of the last-mentioned feed-rollers, substantially asand for the purpose specified.

3. In a perfecting printing-press to print upon a web of paper, thecombination of two pairs of type and impression cylinders, one pairbeing adapted to print upon one face and the other pair being adapted toprint upon the opposite face of the web of paper, feed-rollers to feedthe paper to the first pair of printing and impression cylinders,Variable-speed feedrollers to feed the paper through the second pair oftype and impression cylinders, and suitable means automaticallycontrolled by the paper web to vary-the speed of the lastmentionedfeed-rollers, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. In a perfecting printing-press to print upon a web of paper, thecombination of two pairs of type and impression cylinders, one pairbeing adapted to print upon one face and the otherpair being adapted toprint upon the opposite face of the web of paper, feed-rollers to feedthe paper to the first pair of printing and impression cylinders, feed-rollers for drawing the paper between the second pair of type andimpression cylinders, a tension guide-roller over which the paper webpasses before reaching the last-mentioned feedrolls,variable-speed-controlling devices to vary the speed of saidlast-mentioned feedrolls, and connecting devices between said tensionguide-roller and variable-speed-controlling devices, substantially asset out, whereby any lengthening or shortening of the paper may becompensated for and a perfect register in the second impressionobtained.

5. Ina perfecting printing-press to print upon a web of paper, thecombination of two pairs of type and impression cylinders, one pairbeing adapted to print upon one face and the other pair being adapted toprint upon the opposite face of the web of paper, feedrollers to feedthe paper to the first pair of printing and impression cylinders,feed-rollers for drawing the paper between the second pair of type andimpression cylinders, a tension guide-roller over which the paper Webpasses before reaching the last-mentioned feed-rolls,variable-Speed-controlling devices, substantially as set out, to varythe speed of said last-mentioned feed-rolls, connecting devices,substantially as set out, between said tension guide-roller andvariable-speed-controlling devices, whereby any lengthening orshortening of the paper may be compensated for and a perfect register inthe second impression obtained, and cutting-cylinders to cut the webinto sheets as it leaves the feedrollers.

6. In a perfecting printing-press to print upon a web of paper, thecombination of two pairs of type and impression cylinders, one pairbeing adapted to print upon one face and the other pair being adapted toprint upon the opposite face of the web of paper, feedrollers to feedthe paper to the first pair of printing and impression cylinders,feed-rollers K K, driving conical pulley Q, conical pulley P, carried byone of the rollers K, belt R, passing around said pulleys, belt-shifterr, tension guide-roller I, around which the pa per passes in its transitbetween the two pairs of type and impression cylinders, and connectingdevices between the said roller I and belt-shifter, substantially as andfor the purpose specified.

7. In a perfecting printing-press to print upon a web of paper, thecombination of two pairs of type and impression cylinders, one pairbeing adapted to print upon one face and the other pair being adapted toprint upon the opposite face of the web of paper, feedrollers to feedthe paper to the first pair of printing and impression cylinders,feed-rollers K K, driving conical pulley Q, conical pulley P, carried byone of the rollers K, belt R, passing around said pulleys, belt-shifter4", tension guide-roller I, around which the paper passes in itstransitbetween the two pairs of type and impression cylinders, andconnecting devices, substantially as set out, between the said roller Iand belt-shifter, and cutting-cylinders L, geared together and havingthe same surface speed as the impressioncylinders, substantially as andfor the purpose specified.

8. In a perfecting printing-press, the combination of two pairs of typeand impression cylinders, one pair being adapted to print upon one faceof the paper and the other pair being adapted to print upon the otherface of the paper, and suitable feed-rollers to feed a web of paperbetween the pairs of impression and type cylinders in succession, andvariable speed controlling devices, substantially as herein set out, tovary the speed of the paper passing between one pair of cylinders withreference to the paper passing through the other pair of cylinders.

In testimonyof which invention I hereunto set my hand.

RUDOLPH M. HUNTER.

Witnesses:

HARRY DRURY, E. M. BREOKINREED.

